Spray discharge head



Jan. 20, 1970 LE ROY PETERSON ET AL 3,490,356

SPRAY DI SCHARGE HEAD Filed June 11, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet '1 lnvenrors LEROY PETERSON BY LAWRENCE R. HOGAN Fw 119M542; mm x/ Jan. 20, 1970 LE ROY PETERSON ET AL 3,490,356

SPRAY DISCHARGE HEAD 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 11, 1968 United States Patent US. Cl. 99300 25 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE There is disclosed herein a discharge head for use in a beverage brewing machine for spraying fluid in a plurality of streams of substantially uniform flow rates in a particular pattern into a receiver containing a beverage producing material, wherein the plurality of streams initially enter into the beverage producing material near the outer periphery of the upper surface thereof and gradually decrease to enter toward the center of the upper surface as the flow rates of the fluid streams uniformly decrease, thereby to provide the optimum coverage of the beverage producing material to produce the desired beverage extract. The discharge head comprises, in combination, nozzle means including a base having a discharge orifice therethrough, means for connecting the base to an associated fluid discharge line, fluid deflector means slightly spaced from the orifice and carried by the base, the deflector means comprising a plurality of intersecting ribs extending radially from a line defined by the longitudinal axis of the discharge orifice. The contiguous surfaces formed at the intersection of adjacent ribs comprise the walls of a generally V-shaped passage with the line of intersection between the contiguous surfaces extending both generally radially outwardly and away from the base whereby an imaginary surface including all of the lines of intersection would define a cone the apex of which is directed toward the discharge orifice, whereby the fluid stream issuing from orifice is broken up by the deflector means into a plurality of streams which flow through the V-shaped passages for discharge from the discharge head in the particular pattern.

This invention relates to a discharge head for use with a beverage brewing machine, such as an infusion type coffee brewer, either manual or automatic.

In most small countertop beverage brewing machines of the infusion type which heretofore have been sold, a hot water discharge spray nozzle is disposed over a brew basket containing a beverage brewing material. During the brew cycle of such machines, the hot water sprays over the beverage brewing material so as to produce a beverage extract therefrom. The majority of spray nozzles used in such machines are generally comprised of a thin metal member having a plurality of relatively small discharge orifices therein so as to provide a plurality of streams to be sprayed into the beverage brewing material contained within the associated brew basket, the plurality of streams being provided in an attempt to cover the maximum amount of such material. The majority of brew baskets now used with such machines comprise a conical or funnel-shaped member which has a single centrally disposed discharge opening in the bottom surface thereof for discharging the brewed beverage extract into a beaker disposed therebelow.

When the bi'ew basket is loaded with a predetermined quantity of the beverage brewing material and hot water is sprayed therein, the conventional spray nOzzle tends to direct the sprays toward the center of the material, whereby the water flows directly through the material toward the discharge spout of the brew basket, resulting in an insuflicient wetting of all of the material contained within the brew basket. This in turn results in an inadequate and inefiicient method of extraction, and in many instances it is necessary to provide a larger charge of material than is really needed to obtain a particular quantity of the brewed beverage.

To provide a more efficient extraction process it is desirable that the initial entry of the hot water into the material be as close to the peripheral edge of the upper surface of the material, whereby the hot water flows from the outer area of the material inwardly and downwardly toward the centrally disposed discharge spout of the brew basket, thus wetting a greater amount of material before it leaves the brew basket.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the invention to provide a discharge head for a beverage brewing machine capable of spraying fluid in a plurality of streams of substantially uniform flow rates in a particular pattern into a receiver containing a beverage producing material, wherein the plurality of streams initially enter into the beverage producing material near the outer periphery of the upper surface thereof, and, as the cycle continues and the flow rate of the streams uniformly decrease, the streams are caused to enter the material toward the center of the upper surface thereof, thereby to provide the optimum coverage of the beverage producing material to produce the desired beverage extract.

Another problem which is found in using discharge heads of the conventional type having the plurality of small diameter discharge openings therein, is that over a period of time the hot water flowing through the openings tends to calcify or lime-up the openings, reducing their diameter and thus retarding the flow of hot water therethrough. This calcification or liming-up of the openings does not occur uniformly among the openings, and, as a result, the spray pattern of the hot water discharged from such nozzles becomes distorted and the desired pattern cannot be maintained.

Moreover, in the increasingly popular countertop type beverage brewers which utilize an electric heating element within the water tank for heating the water therein, there is a tendency for calcium carbonate or other materials to deposit on the heating coils. When cold water is introduced into the water tank to cause displacement of the hot water therefrom, the cold water causes some agitation of the water in the tank and causes chips or flakes of the calcium carbonate, often referred to as fish scales, to be knocked off of the heating element. The fish scales then flow out of the tank with the displaced hot water for discharge from the discharge head. In many instances the fish scales are too large to flow through the relatively small diameter discharge openings found in the conventional type of spray nozzles heretofore used, and the fish scales which become lodged in the small diameter discharge openings of such spray nozzles interfere with the flow of the hot Water therethrough resulting in a non-uniform spray pattern and ultimately in an inefficient extraction process. If too many of the fish scales become lodged in the discharge head, the total brewing cycle time is also significantly increased. In addition to the fish scales which must pass through the discharge head, introduction of cold water into the water tank causes air bubbles to be formed, the air bubbles also flowing to the discharge head with the hot water and interfering with the flow of the hot water through the small diameter openings.

Accordingly, it is another object of the invention to provide a discharge head for a beverage brewing machine which is capable of discharging a plurality of streams of uniform flow rates in the aforementioned pattern and wherein the means for providing the streams includes passages which are sufficiently large so as to pass any entrained particles or fish scales, and any air bubbles carried by the fluid stream.

It is still a further object of the invention to provide a discharge head of the character described which further includes means for causing any particles discharged from the heating tank to be disposed in a position in the discharge head such that the fluid stream causes them to be discharged from the discharge head through the relatively large discharge passages.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a discharge head of the character described wherein the discharge head is formed of two plastic components which may be readily separated from each other, thereby to facilitate cleaning of the machine and also to facilitate placement of the head in the machine during the manufacturing operation.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a discharge head for a beverage brewing machine for spraying fluid in a plurality of streams of substantially uniform flow rates in a particular pattern, the discharge head comprising, in combination, nozzle means including a base having a discharge orifice therethrough and means for connecting the base to an associated fluid discharge line. A deflector means is slightly spaced from the discharge orifice and is carried by the base, the deflec tor means comprising a plurality of intersecting ribs extending radially from a line defined by the longitudinal axis of the discharge orifice. The contiguous surfaces formed at the intersections of adjacent ribs comprise the walls of a plurality of generally V-shaped passages with the lines of intersection between the contiguous surfaces extending both generally radially outwardly and away from the base, whereby an imaginary surface intersecting and including all of the lines of intersection would define a cone, the apex of which is directed toward the discharge orifice, whereby the fluid stream issuing from the orifice is broken up by the deflector means into a plurality of streams which flow through the V-shaped passages for discharge from the discharge head in the particular pattern.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the radial extent of each of the lines of intersection between adjacent ribs exceeds the radius of the discharge orifice so that the diameter of the base surface of the cone defined by the lines of intersection of the ribs exceeds the diameter of the discharge orifice, wherebythe fluid stream issuing from the orifice is entirely broken up by the deflector means into the plurality of streams, the streams being initially discharged at an angle equal to the included angle between each line of intersection and the longitudinal axis of the discharge orifice.

The preferred embodiment further includes a generally conical protuberance extending from the intersections of the ribs toward the discharge orifice, the protuberance causing the particles entrained in the discharging fluid to be disposed at an attitude relative to the deflector surfaces such that the discharging fluid stream carries them away and prevents such particles from becoming lodged in the discharge means.

Further features of the invention pertain to the particular arrangement of the elements of the discharge head, whereby the above-outlined and additional operating fea tures thereof are attained.

The invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following specification when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front view, with parts thereof in section, of a discharge head embodying the present invention as mounted on the cabinet of a beverage brewing machine with a brew basket disposed therebelow;

FIGS. 2A and 2B are plan views of the discharge head and the associated brew basket taken in the direction of the arrows along the line 22 of FIG. 1, the view illustrated in FIG. 2A showing the pattern of the fluid .4 streams as discharged from the discharge head at the initiation of a brewing cycle while FIG. 2B illustrates the pattern of the fluid streams near the termination of the brewing cycle;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged exploded perspective view, with parts broken away, of the discharge head illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the nozzle means forming part of the discharge head;

FIG. 5 is an end view of the nozzle means taken in the direction of the arrows along the line 55 in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the nozzle means taken along the lines 6-6 in FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the deflector means forming part of the discharge head illustrated in FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 is a bottom view of the deflector means illustrated in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of one of the ribs of the deflector means taken along the line 9-9 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of the deflector means taken along the lines 10-10 in FIG. 7; and

FIG. 11 is a partial elevational view of the deflector means taken in the direction of the arrows along the line 11-11 in FIG. 7.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2 thereof, there is illustrated a discharge head 20 for a beverage brewer, the discharge head 20 being mounted on an upturned portion 21 of a bottom wall 22 of a beverage brewer (not shown), which may be of the type disclosed in either of the copending applications of Reynolds, et al., Ser. No. 668,384, filed Sept. 18, 1967, entitled Beverage Brewer, or Ser. No. 708,121, filed Feb. 26, 1968, entitled Automatic Beverage Brewer, both of the foregoing applications being assigned to the same assignee as the present application.

A brew basket 23 for holding the beverage brewing material is removably carried by the bottom wall 22 of the beverage brewing machine, the brew basket 23 being of the type disclosed in the aforementioned Reynolds et al. application, Ser. No. 668,384. The brew basket 23 includes a funnel-like side wall 24 having ribs 25 disposed on and integral with the bottom Wall thereof, the bottom wall of the brew basket having a centrally disposed discharge opening 26 therein through which the brewed beverage extract can flow into an associated beaker (not shown). The brew basket 23 is provided with a handle 27 so that it' can conveniently be removed from below the discharge head 20 to replace the used beverage producing material. Disposed within the brew basket 23 is a filter paper cup 28 containing therewithin a beverage brewing material as illustrated by the numeral 29.

As noted hereinabove, it is an object of the invention to provide a discharge head capable of spraying water in a pattern wherein the water initially enters the beverage lproducing material 29 near the outer periphery of the upper surface thereof, such as illustrated by the streams of water designated as 30 in FIG. 2A. In addition, the discharge head must cause the water to flow in this pattern while passing through relatively large passages which permit air bubbles and particles such as fish scales to pass therethrough without interfering with the stream flow. To accomplish both functions, the discharge head 20 includes the nozzle means 40 in combination with the fluid deflector means 50, best illustrated in FIG. 3.

The nozzle means 40 is adapted to be connected to the hot water discharge line of the water tank of the beverage brewing machine, and, to this end, the nozzle means 40 may take the form illustrated in FIGS. 3 through 6, and includes a generally circular base member 41 having a generally annular and upstanding connecting means 42 extending therefrom, the connecting means 42 being adapted to be connected to the discharge line 43 of the beverage brewing machine (FIG. 1). As illustrated in FIG. 1, the nozzle means 40 is held in position on the upturned portion 21 of the cabinet wall 22 by a Tinnerman washer 44. The upstanding connecting means 42 is provided with a pair of diametrically disposed flats 42A thereon, the connecting means 42 cooperating with a complementary shaped opening in the upturned portion 21 so that the nozzle means 40 is precluded from rotational movement relative to the cabinet. A discharge orifice 45 extends through the upstanding connecting means 42 and the circular base 41, the discharge orifice 45 being centrally disposed in the nozzle means 40.

The nozzle means 40 further includes a plurality of equiangularly arranged and circumferentially disposed pin receiving recesses, designated generally as 46, each of the receiving recesses 46 including an axially extending semicircular notch 47 formed in the outer periphery of the base 41, a shoulder 48 being formed in the base immediately adjacent to the notch 47 and a recessed pocket 49 being disposed immediately adjacent to the shoulder 48. The pin receiving recesses 46 cooperate with appropriate structure formed on the fluid deflector means 50, in a manner hereinafter described, so as to removably support the deflector means 50 in an operative position.

The fluid deflector means 50 of the preferred embodiment of the invention is comprised ofa plurality of intersecting ribs 51, which, when the deflector means 50 is fastened to the nozzle means 40, extend radially from a line defined by the longitudinal axis of the discharge orifice 45. In the embodiment illustrated, each of the ribs 51 has a solid cross section in the form of an isosceles triangle and includes inclined side walls 52 and 53 and a bottom wall 54, the apex 55 formed by the intersection of the side walls extending toward the bottom surface of the base 41 of the nozzle means 40. While the illustrated ribs 51 are solid in cross section, it will be appreciated that the ribs 51 may be formed so that they are hollow, the important point being that at the area near the intersections thereof the ribs are of a generally inverted V-shaped configuration so as to provide a surface which sharply splits the fluid stream as it discharges from the orifice 45.

The side walls 52 and 53 of adjacent ribs intersect to form a line of intersection 56 therebetween. The portions of the side walls immediately adjacent to the line of intersection provide contiguous surfaces which define the walls of a generally V-shaped passage. Because of the shape of the ribs 51, each line of intersection 56 between adjacent ribs extends both generally radially outwardly and away from the base, whereby an imaginary surface including all of the lines of intersection 56 would define a cone the apex of which is directed toward the discharge orifice 45, as best seen in FIG. 10.

The solid area formed by the intersection of the ribs 51 and the downwardly and outwardly directed passages defined by the contiguous intersecting side walls of adjacent ribs provide a deflecting surface which is disposed directly below the discharge orifice 45. The apices of the ribs cause the discharging stream to be divided into a plurality of streams which flow downwardly and outwardly along the V-shaped passages.

In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention, the ribs are formed so that the radial extent of each of the lines of intersection 56 is greater than the radius of the discharge orifice 45, whereby the circular base (indicated by the dashed circle 57 in FIG. 8) of the imaginary cone is of a diameter which is greater than the diameter of the discharge orifice 45. This insures that the entire fluid stream discharging from the orifice 45 is broken up into a plurality of streams by the apices 55 of the ribs 51, whereby the streams flow along the V- shaped passages defined by the contiguous side walls of adjacent ribs with the angle of deflection of each of the streams being determined by the included angle between each line of intersection 56 and the longitudinal axis of the discharge orifice 45.

For a given minimum velocity of fluid discharge, the angle of deflection of the fluid stream will increase as the included angle between the line of intersection and the longitudinal axis of the discharge orifice increases. However, if the diameter of the discharge orifice 45 exceeds the diameter of the base circle 57 defined by the lines of intersection 56, then the deflected angle of the streams would be diminished because a portion of the fluid discharged from the orifice 45 would bypass the deflecting surfaces and flow almost directly downwardly and would thus interfere with the portions of the stream which hits the deflecting surface and is outwardly deflected thereby.

It should be understood that the extent of angular deflection of the stream is interdependent both upon the included angle between the line of intersection 56 and the axis of the orifice 45, and the velocity of the stream leaving the discharge orifice 45. The velocity of the stream can be controlled within certain limits by forming the discharge orifice 45 of a predetermined diameter. By providing a discharge orifice of a predetermined size, it is also possible to eliminate accidental flooding of the beverage brewing material contained within the brew basket in the event water is discharged without the deflector means being in place.

It will be appreciated that the angle of the line of intersection 56 between adjacent ribs is directly dependent upon the included angle at the apex of each rib, and as the included angle at the apex of each rib varies, so will the angle of the line of intersection between adjacent ribs. The included angle defined by of the apex of each rib 51 should be as acute as possible so that any particles carried by the stream can easily be dislodged, and also to insure that the stream is sharply divided. The minimum apex angle is limited to some extent by manufacturing limitations and also the fact that as the apex angle diminishes, the angle of the line of intersection also diminishes and to obtain a particular pattern for a given flow rate, the angle of the line of intersection must be fixed at a certain value.

It will be recalled that it was a further object of the invention to provide means which will cause any particles, such as the fish scales referred to hereinabove, to be disposed at an attitude relative to the deflector surface such that the fluid stream flowing from the discharge orifice causes the larger particles to be washed away from the deflector surface for discharge through the relative large passages formed by the ribs. In the embodiment illustrated, the means to accomplish this result takes the form of a conical protuberance 60 which is formed integral with the ribs 51 at the intersections thereof and extends upwardly therefrom toward the discharge orifice 45. As best seen in FIGS. 3, 7. and 10, the conical protuberance 60 has a solid angle, or steradian, which is less than the steradian of the imaginary cone defined by the lines of intersection 56 of the ribs. Also as seen in FIGS. 3 and 7, the lower end of the conical protuberance 60 includes downwardly extending portions 61 which extend within the upper ends of the generally V-shaped passages defined by the adjacent contiguous side walls 52 and 53 of adjacent ribs.

To complete the description of the deflecting means 50, it will be observed that the outer end of each rib 51 has a generally upstanding connecting leg 65 connected thereto, each leg 65 comprising an extension of the respective rib 51. A generally circular skirt 66 is rigidly secured to upper ends of the connecting legs 65, and, as shown in FIG. 3 and 7, each of the connecting legs 65 has a flat shoulder 67 which is disposed inwardly of the inner side wall 68 of the skirt 66. A plurality of equiangularly disposed connecting pins 69 extend inwardly from the inner side wall 68 of the skirt 66, adjacent the upper end thereof.

As will be appreciated from FIG. 3, the diameter of the inner side wall 68 of the skirt 66 is slightly greater than the outer diameter of the base 41 of the nozzle means 40, whereby the base 41 fits within the skirt when the pins 69 are axially aligned with the notches 47 in the base. When the deflecting means 40 is positioned so that the pins 69 can pass through the notches 47, the shoulder portions 67 of the legs engage the bottom surface of the base 41 so as to prevent the nozzle means 40 from coming to rest upon the apices 55 of the ribs 51, thereby providing a predetermined space between the deflector surface defined by the ribs 51 and the discharge orifice 45.

When the deflecting means 50 is suitably positioned so that the pins 69 pass through the notches 47, the skirt 66 of the deflecting means 50 can be rotated so that the pins 69 are forced to ride over the shoulder portions 48 of the pin receiving recesses 46 and then drop into the pin receiving pockets 49, at which time the shoulder 48 prevents movement of the pins and thereby prevents accidental rotation of the deflecting means 50 relative to the nozzle means 40 and thereby precludes accidental removal of the deflecting means.

In the embodiment illustrated, the nozzle means 40 and the deflecting means 50 are both made of a plastic material, one suitable material being that sold by the General Electric Company under the name Noryl.

In a typical embodiment of the discharge head, the orifice 45 of the nozzle means 40 has a nominal value of approximately .186 and the base 41 is approximately .172 inch thick in height, the diameter of the base being approximately .937 inch. The deflector means 50 comprises six equiangularly arranged ribs 51, the ribs having isosceles-triangular cross sections with the bases being approximately .125 inch and the height of the triangle being approximately .156 inch, the included angle between the sides 52 and 53 of the rib being 44, whereupon the angle of the line of intersection 56 relative to the axis of the discharge orifice is approximately 39, and the diameter of the base circle 57 defined by the lines of intersection is approximately .250 inch. The conical protuberance 60 extends approximately .062 inch above the apices of the ribs and has a diameter of approximately .062 inch at the base thereof.

While the illustrated embodiment has six ribs, it will be understood that a greater or fewer numbers of ribs of the same or ditferent cross sections may be used depending upon the spray pattern desired.

The deflecting means including the skirt 66, is .438 inch in height, with the apices 55 of the ribs 51 being disposed .126 inch below the shoulder portions 67 of the connecting legs 65, whereby when the deflecting means 50 is connected to the nozzle means 40, the apices of the ribs are disposed .141 inch below the bottom surface of the base 41. In this regard, it has been found that the apices of the ribs should be spaced from the discharge orifice a minimum distance equal to about one-fourth of the diameter of the discharge orifice so as not to reduce the flow rate of the fluid discharging therefrom.

When a discharge head having the dimensions dis closed hereinabove is used in conjunction with the beverage brewing machines of the type disclosed in the aforementioned Reynolds et al. applications, it has been found that the average discharge velocity of hot water from the discharge orifice 45 is about 15 milliliters per second. When using a charge of brew material of approximately 2 /2 ounces to make a standard beaker of beverage extract of 60 ounces, the brew material contained within the brew basket is disposed approximately 2% inches below the cabinet wall 22. When the beverage producing material is dry, the diameter of the upper surface thereof is approximately 4% inches.

With the deflector head of the type disclosed, wherein the lines of intersection 56 provide angles of deflection of approximately 39, and with the fluid stream discharging at an average velocity of 15 milliliters per second at the initiation of the brew cycle, the fluid streams will flow outwardly to a diameter of approximately 4% inches, or

8 virtually to the outer periphery of the upper surface of the coffee grounds 29 as illustrated at 30 in FIG. 2A, and will not strike the filter paper 28 above the grounds and flow directly therethrough. As the cycle continues and the pressure of the water progressively drops, the velocity of the streams likewise drops and the fluid streams contract inwardly until, at the termination of the cycle, the streams impinge upon the upper surface of the brew material at a diameter of approximately 1 /2 inches, as illustrated at 31 in FIG. 2B.

It will be appreciated therefore that at the initiation of the cycle the hot water enters the upper surface of the brew material near the outer periphery thereof and flows through the brew material toward the centrally disposed discharge spout of the brew basket, and as the cycle draws to a close, the streams of fluid contract towards the center of the material so as to provide a more complete extraction of the more centrally disposed material.

It has been found that the use of a discharge head of the type disclosed herein enables one to reduce the required charge of coffee utilized in the brew basket bv approximately 10 percent. The standard charge of coffee grounds used in virtually all machines to produce ounces of extract varies between 2% and 3 ounces, Whereas a machine equipped with the discharge head shown herein requires a charge of only 2 /2 ounces to provide 60 ounces of extract.

In addition to the improved efficiency of the extraction process, the relatively large passages between the ribs 51 and the upstanding connecting legs permit any entrained particles within the discharging stream to flow directly out of the discharge head, the large passages also permitting air bubbles to pass directly through the discharge head instead of blocking the openings therein, yet the large passages still provide accurate stream integrity so as to achieve the desired spray pattern over the grounds. Moreover, because the deflected streams maintain their integrity, they impinge upon the brew material with a velocity sufficient to cause some turbulence in the grounds, this turbulence also improving the extraction process.

What is claimed is:

1. A discharge head for a beverage brewing machine for spraying fluid in a plurality of streams of substantially uniform flow rates in a particular pattern into a receiver containing a beverage producing material, wherein the plurality of streams initially enter into the beverage producing material near the outer periphery of the upper surface thereof and gradually decrease to enter toward the center of the upper surface as the flow rates of the fluid streams uniformly decerase, thereby to provide the optimum coverage of the beverage producing material to produce the desired beverage extract, said head comprising, in combination, nozzle'means including a base having a discharge orifice therethrough and means for connecting said base to an associated fluid discharge line, fluid deflector means slightly spaced from said orifice and carried by said base, said deflector means comprising a plurality of intersecting ribs extending radially from a line defined by the longitudinal axis of said discharge orifice, the contiguous surfaces formed at the intersection of adjacent ribs comprising the walls of a generally V- shaped passage with the line of intersection between the contiguous surfaces extending both generally radially outwardly and away from said base whereby an imaginary surface including all of said lines of intersection would define a cone the apex of which is directed toward said discharge orifice, whereby the fluid stream issuing from said orifice is broken up by said deflector means into a plurality of streams which flow through said V-shaped passages for discharge from said discharge head in the particular pattern.

2. The discharge head set forth in claim 1, wherein said ribs are equiangularly spaced and each of said ribs is of a generally inverted V-shape with the apex directed toward said base.

3. The discharge head set forth inclaim 2, wherein the included angle between the sides of each of said ribs is substantially about 44. v

4. The discharge head set forth in claim 1, and further including a generally conical protuberance extending from the intersections of said ribs toward said discharge orifice, said protuberance causing any particles entrained in the discharging fluid to be disposed at an attitude relative to said fluid deflector means such that the discharging fluid strearn prevents such particles from becoming lodged in said discharge means.

5. The'discharge head set forth in claim 4, wherein the steradian. of said conical protuberance is less than the steradian of the imaginary cone defined by the lines of intersections of said ribs.

6.'The discharge head set forth in claim 1, wherein each line of intersection between adjacent ribs is disposed at an angle of about 39 relative to the longitudinal axis of said discharge orifice.

7. The discharge head set forth in claim 1,. wherein said fluid deflector means is spaced from said base a distance equal to at least one-fourth of the diameter of said discharge orifice.

8. The discharge head set forth in claim 1, wherein said fluid, deflector means is removably carried by said nozzle means.

9. A discharge head for a beverage brewing machine for spraying fluid in a plurality of streams of substantially uniform flow rates in a particular pattern into a receiver containing a beverage producing material, wherein the plurality of streams initially enter into the beverage producing material near the outer periphery of the upper surface thereof and gradually decrease to enter toward the center of the upper surface as the flow rates of the fluid streams uniformly decrease, thereby to provide the optimum coverage of the beverage producing material to produce the desired beverage extract, said head comprising, in combination, nozzle means including a base having a discharge orifice therethrough and means for connecting said base to an associated fluid discharge line, fluid deflector means slightly spaced from said orifice and carried by said base, said deflector means comprising a plurality of intersecting ribs extending radially from a line defined by the longitudinal axis of said discharge orifice, the contiguous surfaces formed at the intersection of adjacent ribs comprising the walls of a generally V- shaped passage with the line of intersection between the contiguoussurfaces extending both generally radially outwardly and away from said base whereby an imaginary surface including all of said lines of intersectionwould define a cone the apex of which is directed toward said discharge orifice, the radial extent of said lines of intersection exceeding the radius of said discharge orifice so that the diameter of the base surface of the cone defined by the lines of intersection exceeds the diameter of the discharge orifice, whereby the fluid stream issuing from said orifice is entirely broken up by said deflector means into a plurality of streams which flow through said V- shaped passages for discharge from said discharge head in the particular pattern.

10. The discharge head set forth in claim 9, wherein said ribs are equiangularly spaced and each of said ribs is of a generally inverted V-shape with the apex directed toward said base.

11. The discharge head set forth in claim 10, wherein the included angle between the sides of each of said ribs is substantially about 44.

12. The discharge head set forth in claim 9, and further including a generally conical protuberance extending from the intersections of said ribs toward said discharge orifice, said protuberance causing any particles entrained in the discharging fluid to be disposed at an attitude relative to said fluid deflector means such that the discharging fluid stream prevents such particles from becoming lodged in said discharge means.

13. The discharge head set forth in claim 12, wherein the steradian of said conical protuberance is less than the steradian of the imaginary cone defined by the lines of intersections of said ribs.

14. The discharge head set forth in claim 9, wherein each line of intersection between adjacent ribs is disposed at an angle of about 39 relative to the longitudinal axis of said discharge orifice.

15. The discharge head set forth in claim 9, wherein said fluid deflector means is spaced from said base a distance equal to at least one-fourth of the diameter of said discharge orifice.

16. The discharge head set forth in claim 9, wherein said fluid deflector means is removably carried by said nozzle means. I

17. A discharge head for spraying fluid in a plurality of streams of substantially uniform flow rates and in particular overall pattern comprising, in combination, nozzle means including a base having a discharge orifice therethrough, means for connecting said base to an associated fluid discharge line, fluid deflector means slightly spaced from said orifice and carried by said base, said deflector means comprising a plurality of intersecting ribs extending radially from a line defined by the longitudinal axis of said discharge orifice, the contiguous surfaces formed at the intersection of adjacent ribs comprising the walls of a generally V-shaped passage with the line of intersection between the contiguous surfaces extending both generally radially outwardly and away from said base whereby an imaginary surface intersecting all of said lines of intersection would define a cone the apex of which is directed toward said discharge orifice, the radial extent of said lines of intersection exceeding the radius of said discharge orifice so that the diameter of the base surface of the cone defined by the lines of intersection exceeds the diameter of the discharge orifice, whereby the fluid stream issuing from said orifice is entirely broken up by said deflector means into a plurality of streams which flow through said V-shaped passages for discharge from said discharge head in a particular pattern, and a generally conical protuberance extending from the intersections of said ribs toward said discharge orifice, said protuberance causing any particles entrained in the discharging fluid to be disposed at an attitude relative to said deflector means such that the discharging fluid stream prevents such particles from becoming lodged in said discharge head.

18. The discharge head set forth in claim 17, wherein the steradian of said protuberance is less than the steradian of the imaginary cone defined by the lines of intersections of said ribs.

19. The discharge head set forth in claim 17, wherein said ribs are equiangularly spaced and each of said ribs is of a generally inverted V-shape with the apex directed toward said base.

20. The discharge head set forth in claim 17, wherein each line of intersection between adjacent ribs is disposed at an angle of about 39 relative to the longitudinal axis of said discharge orifice.

21. The discharge head set forth in claim 17, wherein said fluid deflector means is removably carried by said nozzle means.

22. A discharge head for spraying fluid in a plurality of streams of substantially uniform flow rates and in particular overall pattern comprising, in combination, nozzle means including a base having a discharge orifice therethrough, said base having a plurality of recesses formed in the outer periphery thereof, deflecting means slightly spaced from said orifice and disposed therebelow, said deflecting means including means defining a plurality of generally V-shaped passages which extend away from said base for dividing the fluid discharging from said orifice into a plurality of streams which flow away from said base, and means carried by said deflecting means and cooperable with said recesses formed in said base for removably mounting said deflecting means on said nozzle means.

23. The discharge head set forth in claim 22, wherein said means defining said V-shaped passages comprises a plurality of intersecting ribs extending radially from a line defined by the longitudinal axis of said discharge orifice, the contiguous surfaces formed at the intersection of adjacent ribs comprising the walls of said generally V- shaped passage with each line of intersection between the contiguous surfaces of adjacent ribs extending both generally radially outwardly and away from said base whereby an imaginary surface including all of said lines of intersection defines a cone the apex of which is directed toward said discharge orifice.

24. The discharge head set forth in claim 23, wherein the radial extent of each of said lines of intersection exceeds the radius of said discharge orifice so that the diameter of the base surface of the cone defined by the lines of intersection exceeds the diameter of the discharge orifice, whereby the fluid stream issuing from said orifice is entirely broken up by said deflector means into a plurality of streams which flow through said V-shaped passages for discharge from said discharge head in a particular pattern.

25. The discharge head set forth in claim 22, wherein said means for mounting said deflecting means comprises a plurality of legs extending from said means defining said V-shaped passages toward said base, a skirt mounted on said legs and having an inner periphery complementary to the outer periphery of said base, said skirt having a plurality of pins extending inwardly toward the center thereof, said pins being cooperable with the recesses in said base for removably mounting said deflector means on said nozzle means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,736,265 11/1929 Kelly 99-315 3,100,434 8/ 1963 Bunn 99-282 3,178,119 4/ 1965 Thorson 239498 X 3,261,279 7/ 1966 Kaplan 99-282 3,371,593 3/1968 Price 99-307 ROBERT W. JENKINS, Primary Examiner US. Cl X.R. 

